News Release

Friday, February 29, 2008

Officer Involved Shooting in Van Nuys

On February 27, 2008, motorcycle officer Derek Mousseau, a 12-year veteran of the Department and his partner, were assigned to the Valley Bureau Violent Crime Task Force.

At around 6:50 p.m., the officers saw Julio Eddy Perez commit a traffic violation while driving a 1997 burgundy Saturn in the vicinity of Van Nuys Boulevard and Valerio Street. The officers conducted a traffic stop at Cedros and Valerio Streets when they saw four other males in the car. After a brief conversation with the officers, Perez drove away and a short pursuit took place.

At the corner of Valerio and Kester, the left rear passenger, Byron San Jose got out of the car, holding a black metal object with both hands. San Jose advanced on Officer Mousseau’s partner who was still seated on his motorcycle causing him to accelerate and strike San Jose with the front of his motorcycle. At the same time, Officer Mousseau dropped his motorcycle in the roadway and deployed his service pistol, resulting in an officer involved shooting. During the confrontation with San Jose, suspect Perez drove away. The car was abandoned in the vicinity of Willis and Saticoy and the occupants left on foot. Four of the five occupants are accounted for including the driver, suspect Perez.

San Jose received multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles City Fire Department personnel.

No officers were injured. The black metallic object possessed by San Jose, turned out to be a metal microphone stand approximately three feet long with a tripod base.

Force Investigation Division personnel responded to the scene and investigated the use of force and the officer involved shooting.